The 63-year-old was married to the royal from 1986 until 1996 and to this day retains an incredibly close relationship with him; so much so they even live together. And now Sarah has spoken about how encouraging Andrew has been behind the scenes.
Sarah – set to become a grandmother for the third time – is preparing for the release of her latest novel, A Most Intriguing Lady. And she revealed to the Mirror that Andrew has read every one of her books.
The Duchess also divulged that she is in talks with some major production companies to turn her books into screen dramas.
“I’m going to let you into a secret,” she told the publication. “We have been talking to production companies and there is real interest in turning both novels into a period TV drama. I am so excited about it. I would love to see someone like Jess Buckley play my heroine.”
Sarah went on to describe her two daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie as “hugely supportive, while Andrew “tells me they [books] are fabulous”.
Fans have long admired how Sarah and Andrew have remained such good friends since divorcing over 27 years ago. The foundation of their bond is twofold; friendship and family.
Both parents are devoted to their daughters and they have worked hard over the years to give the girls a solid and stable upbringing, despite their decision to split.
Andrew and Sarah were married at Westminster Abbey on 23 July 1986, and welcomed daughter Beatrice in August 1988, followed by Eugenie in March 1990.
But, by the following year, the marriage was in trouble. The couple decided to legally separate in 1992, triggered by the demands of his naval career – which meant the couple saw each other for a mere 40 days a year for the first five years – as well as rumours of her infidelity.
Four years later, the Duke and Duchess announced their mutual decision to divorce, in May 1996.
Reflecting on the split in a 2011 interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Sarah admitted: “I didn’t want a divorce but had to because of circumstance.”
Of her 1996 divorce deal with the Queen, she said she had opted for “friendship not money”, explaining: “When I met with Her Majesty about it, she asked, ‘What do you require, Sarah?’ and I said, ‘Your friendship,’ which I think amazed her because everyone said I would demand a big settlement. But I wanted to be able to say, ‘Her Majesty is my friend’— not fight her nor have lawyers saying, ‘Look, she is greedy.’ I left my marriage knowing I’d have to work. And I have.”
